Emily Carter
Actress Leigh French played the hippie chick, Goldie O'Keefe, on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the 1960s. Goldie O'Keefe was originally introduced as Goldie Keif, with both Goldie and Keif being slang terms for marijuana at the time. French's character was an exaggerated hippie who gave homemaking advice to housewives in a parody TV advice show format. French's segment of the show was called Share a Little Tea with Goldie, with sharing tea being a popular euphemism for getting high on marijuana.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of actress | Leigh French |
| Name of character | Goldie O'Keefe |
| Original name of character | Goldie Keif |
| Name of segment | Share a Little Tea with Goldie |
| Date of birth of actress | July 14, 1945 |
| Place of birth of actress | Ashland, Kentucky |
| Similar role played by the actress | San Francisco hippie type named Cobalt-Blue |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Leigh French played the hippie chick
Leigh French, an American actress born in Ashland, Kentucky, played the hippie chick on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the late 1960s. French portrayed a hippie named Goldie O'Keefe, who was originally introduced as Goldie Keif—both "Goldie" and "Keif" were slang terms for marijuana at the time. The character was an exaggerated hippie chick who gave homemaking advice to housewives in a parodied TV advice show format, often making references to marijuana and psychedelic drug use. French's segment of the show was called "Share a Little Tea with Goldie," with "sharing tea" being a popular euphemism for getting high on marijuana. The content of her segment consisted largely of "helpful" household advice loaded with sex- and drug-related double entendres.
French was a regular on the show, which first aired on CBS prime time in February 1967. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was hosted by Tom and Dick Smothers and featured a variety of regular actors, including Pat Paulsen, Bob Einstein, Mason Williams, Jennifer Warnes, and John Hartford. The show was significant in the cultural context of the 1960s, appealing to young, antiwar Americans with its political and social satire. Despite its popularity, the show was cancelled in 1969 due to its controversial nature, revealing a new political and social common sense that challenged the conservative values of the time.
French's portrayal of the hippie chick, Goldie, left a lasting impression, with fans recalling her as "'very funny" in the role. Her performance as the oh-too-believable hippie character contributed to the show's impact during that era, showcasing a brand of humour that was not only socially conscious but also politically aware. French's talent for comedy shone through, and she went on to play similar hippie characters in other shows, such as Cobalt-Blue in the 1968 episode "Tag, You're It" of the I Spy series.
The Easter Bunny: Why Not a Chicken?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Goldie O'Keefe was the character's name
Goldie O'Keefe was the name of the hippie character portrayed by actress Leigh French on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the late 1960s. The character was originally introduced as Goldie Keif—both "Goldie" and "Keif" were slang terms for marijuana at the time. The name was changed to O'Keefe when the character became a semi-regular on the show, reportedly due to pressure from the television network.
French's character, Goldie O'Keefe, was an exaggerated hippie who gave homemaking advice to housewives in a parodied TV advice show format. Her segment of the show was called "Share a Little Tea with Goldie," with "sharing tea" being a popular euphemism for getting high on marijuana. Her advice was loaded with sex- and drug-related double entendres.
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, hosted by Tom and Dick Smothers, first aired on CBS prime time in February 1967. The show appeared to be a variety show format, but soon revealed itself as a platform for political and social satire. The show was incredibly significant in the cultural context of the 1960s, appealing to young, antiwar Americans with its allusions to pot smoking and pressing social concerns.
Leigh French, born on July 14, 1945, in Ashland, Kentucky, is an American actress. In addition to her role on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, French played a similar character, a San Francisco hippie type named Cobalt-Blue, in a 1968 episode of the I Spy series. She also played a hippie in the 1969 "Flower Power" episode of the same series. French's acting career also includes roles in Halloween II, Arlington Road, and The Usual Suspects.
The Chicks on the Right: What Happened?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Goldie Keif was the original name
Leigh French, born in Ashland, Kentucky, in 1945, portrayed an exaggerated hippie chick named Goldie O'Keefe, who offered homemaking advice to housewives in a parody TV advice show format. Goldie often made references to marijuana and psychedelic drug use, fitting with the show's allusions to pot smoking and the counterculture of the 1960s. French's character was well-loved, and she became a regular on the show, appearing alongside other actors like Pat Paulsen, Bob Einstein, and Mason Williams.
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was groundbreaking for its time, appealing to a younger, antiwar audience with its progressive messages. It caused a stir among conservative viewers and censors, and its cancellation in 1969 sparked outrage, with supporters citing infringement of first amendment rights. The show's impact extended beyond its run, influencing other comedy shows that followed, such as "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" and "Saturday Night Live," which adopted socially and politically conscious humour.
Leigh French's role as the hippie chick, Goldie (originally Goldie Keif), was a memorable part of the show's appeal. Her character's name, along with the title of her segment, "Share a Little Tea with Goldie," cleverly played on contemporary slang related to marijuana use. French's comedic talent shone through, and she went on to play similar hippie characters, such as Cobalt-Blue in the 1968 episode "Tag, You're It" of the I Spy series.
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour left a lasting impact on television and popular culture, and Leigh French's portrayal of the hippie chick, Goldie, with her original name, Goldie Keif, remains an iconic part of the show's legacy.
Protecting Chicks: Safe Age from Rats
You may want to see also
Explore related products
'Share a Little Tea with Goldie' was the segment
Leigh French, an American actress born in Ashland, Kentucky, played the hippie chick, Goldie O'Keefe, on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Goldie was originally introduced as Goldie Keif, with both "Goldie" and "Keif" being slang terms for marijuana. When she became a semi-regular on the show, the network insisted on changing her character's name to O'Keefe.
Goldie O'Keefe was an exaggerated hippie character who gave homemaking advice to housewives in a parody TV advice show format. Her segment, "Share a Little Tea with Goldie", was loaded with sex- and drug-related double entendres. "Sharing tea" was a popular euphemism for getting high on marijuana at the time.
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour first aired on CBS prime time in February 1967. The show, hosted by Tom and Dick Smothers, appeared to be a variety show format but soon became known for its political and social satire. The show was significant in the cultural context of the 1960s, appealing to young, antiwar Americans with its allusions to pot smoking and pressing social concerns.
Leigh French's character, Goldie, was a regular feature of the show, along with other cast members such as Pat Paulsen, Bob Einstein, Mason Williams, Jennifer Warnes, and John Hartford. Many television and movie stars of the day made guest appearances, including Carol Burnett, George Segal, Jack Benny, and George Burns. The show also featured musical guests like Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Jefferson Airplane, and Steppenwolf, some of whom were blacklisted from other networks due to their lyrical content.
Chicken Broth Alternatives: Easy Substitutes for Your Favorite Recipes
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The show was cancelled in 1969
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was cancelled in 1969, but the influence of Tom and Dick Smothers' show endured. The brothers had started out performing in the beatnik clubs, and their comedy incorporated folk music and political satire. When they were picked up by CBS, the network saw them as young and hip, but with a conservative look that would appeal to an older audience. However, the brothers' underlying messages of political and social consciousness soon became clear, and the network grew nervous. The show featured many skits with antiwar and counterculture themes, including one with a regular segment called "Share a Little Tea With Goldie", in which Goldie O'Keefe, played by Leigh French, gave homemaking advice to housewives, loaded with sex- and drug-related double entendres.
Goldie was an exaggerated hippie chick, and her name, as well as her segment title, were loaded with references to marijuana use. French's character was first introduced as Goldie Keif, both slang terms for marijuana, but the network insisted on a name change to O'Keefe when she became a semi-regular. French's character was not the only allusion to drug use; the show also featured musical guests who were often blacklisted from other networks due to the content of their lyrics.
The show's cancellation was seen by some as an infringement of first amendment rights, and the Smothers Brothers' influence can be seen in later shows such as Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In and Saturday Night Live, which followed in their footsteps in creating content that was politically aware. The show's cultural significance was immense, and it revealed a new political and social common sense that was at stake. The Smothers Brothers used comedy as a platform for politics, and their show's impact continued long after its cancellation.
The McClure Legacy: Did Doug's Chick Children Act?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The hippie chick, Goldie O'Keefe, was portrayed by actress Leigh French.
The name of the segment was "Share a Little Tea with Goldie". At the time, "sharing tea" was a popular euphemism for getting high on marijuana.
The show, hosted by Tom and Dick Smothers, appeared to be of a variety show format but soon became a platform for political and social satire.
